Graphs vs Plotly
Graphs
apps.gnome.orgPlotly
plotly.comSide by side
| Figure | Graphs | Plotly |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $24.17/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Spec score · Data Visualization Software | 7.8 (#58) | 9.0 (#8) |
| Dashboard type | static | interactive |
| Data sources | Files; SQLite database files; equations | Snowflake,Databricks,BigQuery,PostgreSQL,MySQL,SQL Server,MotherDuck,Oracle,CSV,and anything Python can connect to |
| Embedded dashboards | No | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | The official app page offers installation from Flathub and says Graphs is written with GNOME in mind but should suit other desktop environments. | web_and_desktop |
| Scheduled refresh | No | Yes |
Plans
Plotly
- FreeFree
- Pro$29 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
- Pro Monthly$29 a month
- Pro Annual$290 a year
In their own words
Graphs
Graphs is a free Linux desktop application for plotting and manipulating data, released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. It imports column files such as CSV, DAT, XY, and plain text, plus ODS and XLSX spreadsheets, SQLite databases, Panalytical XRDML, Leybold XRY, and Graphs project files. Equations can generate datasets and remain rendered across the plot canvas. Data operations include translation, multiplication, normalization, centering, smoothing, differentiation, integration, Fourier transformation, combining, shifting, cutting, and custom coordinate transformations. Curve fitting offers linear, quadratic, exponential, power-law, logarithmic, sigmoid logistic, Gaussian, and custom-equation models. Results may include parameter confidence margins, confidence bands, R², RMSE, and residual plots. Users can select or create plot styles controlling colors, fonts, lines, markers, error bars, axes, ticks, and grids. Figures export to PNG, JPEG, WebP, SVG, PDF, PostScript, or Encapsulated PostScript, with underlying data export too. Vector output can be edited in applications such as Inkscape. Flathub describes the app as requesting no permissions.
Plotly
Plotly provides tools for interactive dashboards, data applications, and charts, spanning open-source libraries, hosted services, and self-hosted platforms. Its graphing libraries support Python and JavaScript and offer more than 70 chart types. Dashboards support scheduled refresh and embedding, with connections to Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, MotherDuck, Oracle, CSV, and sources accessible through Python. Plotly Studio runs locally as a desktop app and can deploy to Plotly Cloud; Dash Enterprise can be self-hosted or run on premises. The Free plan includes one creator seat, one Dash or Plotly Studio app, three private viewers, and 10 trial credits, with no credit card required. It does not permit inviting other Creators or Viewers. Pro is $29 a month per Creator seat, with 30 monthly credits, 10 private viewers, and unlimited apps. Credit-powered features stop when credits run out, but published apps continue running. Subscriptions can be canceled without fees or penalties.